Anti-slip shoe attachment



June 28, 1955 Filed April\l5. 1953 Unite 1 States Patent() ANTI-SLIPSHOE ATTACHMENT Michael I. Holfarth, Chicago Heights, Ill. ApplicationApril 15, 1953, Serial No. 349,031

2' Claims. (Cl. 36--7.7)

golfers or'equipped with special pegs more effective for use in walkingover icy pavements and streets. Numerous anti-slip devices both of thepermanent and detachable type have heretofore been proposed, but thesehave not been proven entirely satisfactory in that they were eitherpermanently or detachably associated with instrumentalities that didnoteffectively hold without binding, creeping, rendering the weareruncomfortable, or being entirely effective as an anti-slip device. .Withthe teachings of the present invention, anti-slip expedients such aspegs can be anchored to a shoe sole conforming fiat member provided withinstrumentalities that are effective for detachable association with theusual sole of shoes or to overshoes such as galoshes or rubber worn byindividuals in all walks of life. a

It is proposed to provide two different sizes for effective detachableassociation with shoes for men, and also two sizes for women so thatshoes or overshoes of all classifications may be provided with devicesembodying the teachings of the present invention. These limited numberof sizes will beeffective for detachable association to all footwear toinsure walking with safety over icy pavements or streets. For thatmatter, .the same style of devices could be utilized for playing golfshould commercial practice so dictate. In the use, of the device as ananti-slip attachment for icy pavements and streets,.the

pegs would be sharper and perhaps shorter than those normally used inplaying golf, but with this exception the attachments are the same andcould be interchangeably used. Preferably the two sets of specialattachments could be provided so that one would be supplied with specialpegs for icy pavements and the other with comparatively duller pegs foruse in playing golf.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction andimprove the operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is to provide a more efiective shoe attachment to usepegs as anti-slip devices for detachable association with the soles ofordinary shoes.

Still another object is to provide a detachable attachment for shoeswhich has an improved strap buckling arrangement that will not creep orbind during the act of walking.

A further object is to provide a shoe sole attachment having an improvedheel vamp engaging structure in conjunction with improved holding strapsthat will effectively maintain a shoe sole conforming fiat member in thedesired engagement with the shoes of the wearer.

A stillfurther object is to provide an attachment of the charactermentioned-for a shoe sole conforming flat member provided with laterallyextending loops through which a holding strap is laced for connectionwith a heel vamp engaging loop to effectively retain its associationwith the shoe soles of the wearer.

Still a further object is to provide a shoe sole conforming flat memberwith a heel vamp engaging loop having separate pairs of complementalstraps for lacing around the ankle of the wearer and peripherally aroundthe shoe sole conforming flat member.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionof an illustrated embodiment of the present invention. W

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side view in elevation of the device embodying features ofthe present invention and shows in its operative position in detachableassociation with the shoe of the wearer.

Figure 2 is a front view in elevation of the device shown in Figure 1. 5

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the devices shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the anti-slip device in its detached andinoperative relationship relative to a; shoe and preparatory to itsapplication thereto with the straps shown unbuckled and unlaced.

Figure 5 is a top plan view similar to Figure 4 with the strapsbuckledand laced in a manner that would effectively retain it in associationwith a shoe of a wearer (not shown).

The structure selected for illustration is not intended to serve as alimitation upon the scope or teachings of the invention, but is merelyillustrative thereof. There may be considerable variations andadaptations of all or part of the teachings depending upon the dictatesof com mercial practice.

The present embodiment comprises a substantially flatshoe soleconforming member 10 preferably though not essentially stamped orotherwise shaped "from flexible leather or any other suitablecomposition material having a thickness sufficient for rigidity and theproperty of limited flexibility. As shown, the shoe sole conforming fiatmember 10 is provided with a plurality of laterally ex-- and 13-14 aredisposed normally to the longitudinalmedian line of the shoe soleconforming flat member 10 while the rearwardly positioned short straps15-16 are disposed at asmall angle to more effectively serve theirintended purpose. The short straps 1112, 13-44 and 1516 terminate inloops 17 formed from the material thereof by a fold-over which is sewedor preferably riveted at at 18 to define the loops 17 substantially inthe direction of the perimeter of the shoe sole conforming fiat member10 to receive-a strap that is laced therethrough as will be describedmore fully hereinafter.

A heel vamp engaging strap loop 19 preferably of flexible leather orother suitable material is anchored to the edge 20 of the shoe soleconforming flat member 10 in the region of its joinder with the arch ofthe normal shoe, and this can be accomplished by sewing or preferablyanchored with suitable fasteners such as a plurality of rivets 21, inthis instance three. It may be desirable to reinforce the shoe soleconforming flat member 10 in its rearward region by applying anotherthickness of leather 22 thereunder and having this sewed and anchoredaround its substantially rectangular perimeter and utilizing the samefasteners or rivets 21 for that purpose which anchor the heel vampengaging loop 19 thereto. Should com- Patented June 28, 1955 mercialpractice so dictate, the substantially rectangular reinforcement 22 isnot essential and may be dispensed with unless the attachments are madefor heavy duty use such as in extreme conditions for use by the militaryand those who do a lot of walking such as policemen.

With the structure thus far described the intended wearer of the devicecould apply the sole of the normal shoe over the shoe sole conformingfiat member so that the heel of the normal shoe would pass through theloop 19 and the latter manually elevated to engage the convexly shapedheel vamp 22 of the normal shoe 23 (Figure 1). So that the shoe soleconforming flat member 10 would be held flat against the normal shoesole 24, the heel vamp engaging loop 19 is provided with two separatepairs of complemental straps 25-26 and 27-28 which extend from the upperportion 29 of the heel vamp engaging loop 19 while the lower portion 30thereof is anchored to the shoe sole conforming flat member 10 by meansof the fasteners 21 as described supra.

The two separate pairs of complemental straps 25-26 and 27-28 diverge asthey extend forwardlyfrom the upper anchor portion 29 of the heel vampengaging loop 19, and the upper pair of straps 25-26 are substantiallywider than the lower pair 27-28 which are intended for lacing throughthe loops 17 of the short straps 11-12, 13-14 and 15-16. "Thecomplemental strap sections 25-27 that are positioned outwardly on eachof the shoe sole conforming flat members 10 that are shaped for left andright shoe application, are provided with buckles 29-30', respectively,that are anchored thereto in the usual manner by means of fasteners suchas rivets 31-32.

The other strap sections 26-28 have extremities that extend through andare complemental to the buckles 29'-30. To this end, the end regions ofthe strap sections 26-28 are provided with a linear series of aperturesor holes 33-34 that serve as complements of the buckles 29-30' to defineadjustable loops 35 and 36. The adjustable loops 35-36 extendrespectively around the forward portion of the ankle and the shoe upperand also along and spaced above the perimeter of the sole in a slightlysuperposed position by reason of being laced through the short straploops 17, thereby effectively hold- 7 ing the shoe sole conforming fiatmember 10 against the underside of the normal shoe sole 24 and to permitwalking without any binding, creeping, or change of position of the heelvamp engaging loop 19 or the adjustable ankle sole loops 35-36respectively. It should be observed that the heel vamp engaging loop 19is bifurcated at its sides to present the diverging strap loops 35-36,the former strap loop 35 to prevent the heel vamp engaging strap 19 fromriding down and the latter strap loop 36 to prevent the heel vampengaging strap 19 from creeping up.

Any suitable form of anti-slip expedients may be applied to the bottomof the shoe sole conforming fiat member 10. In the present embodimentthere is illustrated a plurality of comparatively short sharp pegs 37 inthis instance seven, which project therefrom for anchored engagementtherein by resort to any suitable anchoring expedients such as the splitrivet shanks 38. Should commercial practice so dictate, the usual typeof threaded projecting studs may be provided so that substitution oflonger or duller pegs could be readily made for use in golfing in thatthe sharp pointed pegs illustrated herein are more effective for icesurface gripping traction. It will be apparent, therefore, that a veryeffective and simple anti-slip shoe attachment has been provided thatprovides for substantially complete coverage of the normal sole and maybe supplied in several standard sizes for practically universalapplication'to the shoes of wearers having a wide variety of sizes.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment'of thisinvention, it must be understood that the invention is capable ofconsiderable variation and modifieation without departing from thespirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to'be limited to theprecise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself ofsuch variations and modifications as come within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An ice gripping shoe traction device of the character describedadapted for detachable association with a shoe, said device comprising ashoe sole conforming flat member, a plurality of short straps extendinglaterally from said flat member, loops formed on the ends of said shortstraps, a heel vamp engaging strap loop extending from said fiat memberfor reception of the shoe heel vamp therein, complemental strap portionsextending from said heel engaging strap loop to envelop the shoe upperand ankle, buckles on one of said strap portions to engage a linearseries of holes in the other portion of said comple mental strapportions, another set of complemental strap portions extending from saidheel engaging strap loop below said first named complemental strapportions, a buckle on one of said last named strap portions to engagethe other complemental strap portion after the latter is laced throughsaid short strap loops to securely hold the shoe sole conforming fiatmember in detachable association with a shoe, and downwardly extendingprojections anchored in said shoe sole conforming flat member fortraction gripping of the surface over which the wearer treads. V

2. An ice gripping shoe traction device of the character describedadapted for detachable association with a shoe, said device comprising asubstantially full shoe sole conforming fiat member, a plurality ofshort straps extending integrally from said flat member, loops formed onthe ends of said short straps, a heel vamp engaging strap loop extendingfrom said flat member, two sets of divergent complemental adjustablestrap sections extending from said heel vamp engaging loop, one set ofcomplemental adjustable straps enveloping the shoe upper and ankle andthe other set of complemental adjustable straps being laced through saidloops on said sole short straps. and downwardly projecting gripping pegsmounted in said shoe sole conforming flat member for traction grippingof the surface over which the wearer treads.

Harker Oct. 2, 1888 Gredell Mar. 11, 1952

